Cheer pheasant sighting, calling recorded, reflecting successful rehabilitation of endangered specie.

PESHAWAR -- The wildlife department of Khyber Pakhtukhwa in collaboration of World Wide Fund (WWF) Pakistan have recorded sighting and calling of cheer pheasant at Masnhera Division, reflecting successful rehabilitation of the highly endangered specie.

'During a joint survey conducted by Wildlife Department and WWF Pakistan we have recorded excellent sightings and counts of cheer pheasant,' informs Taimoor Ali Shah, DFO Wildlife Manshera division.

Talking to reporter, Taimoor said majority of the population of the rare bird were found in Panja Gali Tehsil of Oghi.

The survey team also recorded video of the bird which is first ever digital capturing of the cheer pheasant in wilderness, he claimed.

The flock of cheer pheasant in wilderness is result of measures taken by Wildlife department in 2018 of releasing few pairs from captivity at Dhodial Phesantry into dense forest around three years ago, DFO apprised reporter.

Apart of it, effective measures were also taken by Wildlife department against hunting and poaching which started bearing fruits in rehabilitation of cheer pheasant by bringing the rare bird back to wilderness from state of being extinct locally, Taimoor added.

Earlier staffers of Wildlife Manshera division had recently sighted few birds at forests of Kanshian area of Balakot Tehsil in close proximity of Kashmir region,' Taimoor continued.

Cheer pheasant (Catreus...